Material-testing appliance for well-drilling apparatus



lully 1l 1924. J. T. REA

MATERIAL TESTING APPLTANCE FOR WELL MILLING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1919 Wmv Patented July l, 1924.,

`TOEN T. REA, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MATERIAL-TESTING- APPLIANCE FOR WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

Application :filed May 14,

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN T. REA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles. in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Material-Testing Appliances Jfor VVell-Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an attachment for well drilling apparatus, but it is not limited to that particular industry as it'may be employed in any apparatus used for conveying earthy material by suction' or water pressure.

The principal object of the invention is to provide 'a receptacle within the conveyor pipes for trapping material passing there-` through and providing means for easily and quickl;Y removing the material from the receptacle for the purpose of frequent examination so that a log or record can 'be kept of it at predetermined depths of drilling.

Another feature of the invention'is that the precious metal saving receptacle is inexpensive and can be easily and quickly installed or placed in the pipe line of an apparatus b v any unskilled workman.

Another feature of the invention is shown in the means for removing the receptacle from the precious metal trap for examining the contents thereof without interrupting the operation of the well drilling apparatus or affecting the suction in the pipes.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the precious metal saving appliance constructed in accordance with this invention; and shown attached to a well drillingapparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the appliance on line m2 of Figs. 1-3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the appliance on line m3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on line m4 of Fig. 1.

In detail the precious metal saving appliance as previously stated, is connected to a well drilling apparatus of the type using 1919. Serial No. 297,123.

suction to remove the earthy matter from the well as it is formed by drilling.

As seen in the drawings, the drilling apparatus consists of a cutter head 1 that is attached to a pipe line 2 which pipe line consists of pipes 3 that are secured together by the joints 4; and these pipes are connected together as the well is driven downward and as the pipe line 2 needs to be lengthened. 4,

rlhe pipe line 2 forms a drilling shaft for the cutter head 1 and it also forms a conveyor by which the line earthy matter that is disintegrated by the drill is removed from the well, and as will be seen later the disintegrated matter is moved through the pipe line 2 by suction.

The pipeline 2 is rotated by the v`following means. *On a stand 5 there is secured the base plate 6 in which is mounted the hub 7 of a pinion 8; and meshing with the teeth of the pinion are the teeth of the gear 9.

The gear 9 is mounted on the shaft 10 which is mounted in the bearing 11; and to one end of this shaft 10 there is secured the pulley 12 which is driven from a source of power not shown.

Integral with the pinion 8 are the upright rods 13 and -14 that are adapted to pass between the space bars 15 which bars are clamped around the pipe 3 by the bolt 16 so that when the pinion 8 is rotated the arms 13 and 14 will contact with the 'bars 15 and rotate the line of pipes'2 to drive the drill 1.

All of the foregolng mechanism is old and well understood.

The upper end of the pipe 2 has a threaded end that is secured in a head 17 and in the upper end ofthis head is secured the cylinder 18. Within this cylinder are se cured the ball bearings 19 and 20, which ball bearings are secured between the cylinder 18 and the pipe 21; so that the cylinder 18 and connections with pipe line 2 are free to turn without revolving the pipe 21. Between the bearings 19 and 20 there is placed the oil packing 22 which prevents the water from escaping from the cylinder 18 as it is drawn therethrough by suction; the said packing preventing the entrance of air into the cylinder 18.

'llhe upper end of the pipe 21 has secured l through the thereto the ring 23 to which is attached the hoisting and supporting line 24 by means of which the cylinder 18 and pipe 21 are supported. By means of this supporting line 24 and the flexible pipe 25 the line pipe 2 .can be lowered as the drill 1 descends.

The iexible pipe 25 has one end thereof attached to the elbow 26 which elbow is attached to one arm of the T pipe 27 and the other arm of the T pipe 27 is connected to a tank 28 by a pipe 28', so that there is a passage-way from the bottom of the well through the line pipe 2, pipe21, and flexible pipe 25 to the tank 28; all of the foregoing being old and well understood and is given only to make clear the purpose o'f this invention. e-

The loose earthy matter in the well is drawn through the pipe line 2 and its associated parts into-the tank 28 by suction and this` suction is first established by filling the tank 28 with steam and allowing the steam to condense which condensation of steam forms a vacuum in the tank. Before this vacuum is formed, however, water from the settling tank 29 is permitted -to flow through the pipe 30 and fill the well to a point`above the drill and the well is kept filled with water as it is drilled downward.

As drill 1 disintegrates the earthy material -in the well suction from the tank 28 will draw the water and earthy matter up pipe line 2 and discharge it into the tank 28.

In' order to maintain the vacuum and suction on the pipe line 2 there is interposed between the tank 28 and settling tank 29 a pump 31 which is connected to the tank 28 by a short pipe 32 and the pump 31 discharges into the settling tank 29 through the pipe 33. The pump 31 is driven from some source of power not shown, by means of the gear 31 which is connected to the driving shaft of said pump.

Steam through a pipe 34 is applied to the tank 28 when necessary to produce a vacuum therein.

In order to trap portions of the material passing upward from the well with the earthy matter through the pipe line 2 to the cylinder 18, a T pipe 37 is interposed in the conveyor pipe and' arranged with its long passage horizontall and its short passage vertical; and there is attached to the downward arm 36 ofthe T 27, a short test pipe 37 the lower end of which is closed with a cap screw 38.

As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the T 27 has in it a deiiector plate 39 which extends inwardly a distance approximately two-thirds the diameter of the T and obliquely in the direction of passage of the material and against which the earthy matter will contact as it passes from the pipe -line 2 to the tank 28; and the velocity of the water and earthy material passing through this pipe line is such that nearly all the earthy matter except tlie heavier materials such as precious metals will pass under the edge of the dcflector plate 39 which does not extend inwardly the full diameter of the pipe line,

and be carried on through the conveyor pipe into the tank 28; but the heavier precious metals will fall into the pipe 37 in which may be placed a quantity of quiclrsilver 39 that will "attract and hold the precious metals that may drop into this receptacle. Enough of the earthy or non-metallic material will be trapped in the pipe-or receptacle 37 for examination or analysis by a chemist for a log or record; that is, at each predetermined number of drilling feet say ten or any desired number, the material in the trap is examined and the nature of contents recorded by which means the drillers know if they are drilling through material bearing precious metal or oil.

A valve 40 is interposed between the T pipe 27 and the receptacle 37 that can be closed when the contents of the receptacle are to be examined so that the drillin of the well can continue uninterrupted w ile the examination is to be made and also so that suction from the tank 28 to the line pipe ,2 will not be interrupted when the receptacle 37 is removed.

In operation the drill 1 is started into the ground and after reaching the depth of a few inches the hole formed by the drill is filled with water from the settling tank 29 as previously stated; then steam is supplied to the tank 28 to exhaust the air therefrom and the steam allowed to condense causing a vacuum in the tank that draws the earthy water through the pipe line 2 into the tank; the pump in the meantime being put into action to maintain the vacuum in the tank and also to remove the earthy water therefrom and discharge it into the settling tank 29. And as the drilling of the well advances tests of the material taken therefrom can be made as stated.

I claim: n

The appliance set forth for testing material passing through a conveyor pipe and recovering precious metal therefrom comprising a T pipe interposed in a conveyor pipe connecting a drilling apparatus with a vacuum tank, said T pipe arranged so that its axially aligned arms are held horizontally and the other arni extending downward vertically so that the passages through the pipe are horizontal and vertical; a. baille plate integral with said T pipe, said plate positioned near mid-centerof said T pi e and inclined from the inlet toward the. horizontal outlet of said pipe. and arranged so that material passing through thc conveyor pipe is deflected downward toward the vertical passage in the T pipe so that heavy intento l .muteriul poss hy gravity through the een he mode without interrupting suction Vertical d the light materiel nii be ourthrough the conveyor pipe. Y

riedl hy suction on through the horizontal-l In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set passe; o, test pipe urran in m. vertical my hand at Los Angeles, Californie, `this t position; endl u vulve interposed between Seidl 6th day of Moy, 1919.

test endl 't' pipes smid valve oder, ted to be JUHN 'il REA.,

dosed when the contents of-soi test pipe Witness:

ure to exedl so that the emotion WM. M. G 

